Pro-Kremlin Ukrainian politician thought to be Putin's pick for puppet leader arrested, Zelenskyy announced
- Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Kremlin Ukrainian politician, has been arrested, Zelenskyy announced.
- Medvedchuk was under house arrest until late February while facing treason charges but escaped.
Pro-Putin Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk has been arrested, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Tuesday.
Medvedchuk, the leader of Ukraine's Opposition Platform — For Life party, had been on house arrest while facing charges of treason until he escaped in late February.
Ukraine's Security Service tweeted a picture of Medvedchuk in handcuffs wearing what appeared to be Ukrainian army uniform.
The tweet said, "You can be a pro-Russian politician and work for the aggressor state for years. You may be hiding from justice lately. You can even wear a Ukrainian military uniform for camouflage…But will it help you escape punishment? Not at all! Shackles are waiting for you."
Medvedchuk was thought to be Russian President Vladimir Putin's top choice as a replacement for Zelenskyy to serve as Ukraine's puppet ruler. If Russia had taken Kyiv, many experts believe Medvedchuk would've been installed as the new leader of Ukraine.
He has extremely close ties to Putin — the Russian leader is godfather to Medvedchuk's daughter and the two men have vacationed together.
"Our relationship has developed over 20 years," Medvedchuk said of his ties to Putin during an interview with Time last spring. "I don't want to say I exploit that relationship, but you could say it has been part of my political arsenal."
Following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, Medvedchuk was sanctioned by the US. The Obama administration accused him of undermining democracy in Ukraine.
After Medvedchuk was placed on house arrest last May, Putin said Ukraine was being morphed into "some kind of anti-Russia."
"So what, everyone who's working with Russia will now face criminal prosecution in Ukraine?" Putin said at the time, per the Moscow Times.
Medvedchuk is one of the wealthiest people in Ukraine, estimated to be worth $620 million.
His proximity to Putin helped make Medvedchuk rich. Zelenskyy in February 2021 signed a decree that froze Medvedchuk's assets and shut down three television stations associated with the Ukrainian multimillionaire, alleging that they were spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda.